Postdoctoral Researcher in Plant Biology

We are looking for an independent and motivated post-doctoral researcher to carry out experimental studies on viruses causing the disease virus yellows in sugar beet.

About the Position

We are looking for you who would like to be a part of our team to identify resistance to virus yellows in sugar beet. Using molecular methods and sequence analyses, you will map the diversity in Sweden of the viruses that cause virus yellows. You will also develop molecular tools to facilitate the identification of resistant plants. The final aim is sustainable cultivation of sugar beet in Sweden using cultivars with strong resistance against virus yellows. The project is carried out in collaboration with Nordic Beet Research and KWS Scandinavia, and it has financial support from SLU Grogrund, Centre for Breeding of Food Crops, which joins forces from academia, society and the business sector to contribute to sustainable and competitive agricultural and horticultural production throughout Sweden.

Your Profile

Requirements

• You must hold a PhD degree in plant biology or a related subject.
• Documented ability to carry out independent research and author scientific publications.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English.
• Good ability to design and carry out research tasks independently.
• Good collaboration skills.
• Personal suitability.

Meritorious

• Experience from work with plant-microbe interactions and especially molecular studies on plant viruses.
• Basic skills in bioinformatics (such as analysis of NGS data).

As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are looking for a candidate with a doctoral degree that is three years old at most.

About Us

The Department of Plant Biology offers a creative and stimulating international environment and is one of several departments that make up the ‘Uppsala BioCenter’. The department undertakes fundamental and strategic research on agricultural crops, forest trees, bioenergy crops and model organisms. Our main areas of research comprise the interaction of plants with microorganisms and other environmental stresses, plant growth and development, biotechnology and metabolic engineering, regulation of gene expression, population genetics, genome analysis, and the development of breeding systems. Species in use are model organisms such as Arabidopsis, Physcomitrella and tobacco as well as crops such as rapeseed, potato, cereals and sugar beet. Studied plant pathogens cover viruses, bacteria, and fungi/oomycetes. The department is responsible for basic and advanced courses in general and molecular genetics, cell biology, plant physiology, plant breeding and molecular plant-interactions. In addition, the department contributes to various courses together with other departments.

Uppsala, Sweden's fourth-largest city, has two universities and with more than 50,000 students a vibrant student atmosphere. It is located in the Greater Stockholm area and has an excellent connection to the Stockholm-Arlanda international airport.

For more information about the department: Department of Plant Biology (https://www.slu.se/en/departments/plant-biology/)

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at Work at SLU (https://www.slu.se/en/work-at-slu/)

Location:

Uppsala.

Form of Employment:

Temporary employment 24 months, with the potential possibility of extension.

Scope:

100%.

Start Date:

According to agreement.

Application:

Please submit your application before the deadline 11 May 2025. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.

Union Representatives:

Union representatives (https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering)

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden.

SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.